While we may not know when Quake Live
will leave beta testing, we now know what network they will be using, as
infrastructure provider
GNi announces they will be providing the hosting services for id Software's
subscription-free online shooter. While the announcement doesn't indicate when
the game will launch, it does outline the social networking services it will
include: "Every element of the experience, including friends lists and
communication, player skill matching, sponsored events and tournaments, stats
tracking, and even the game itself is accessed and delivered free of charge
through the web browser."

"...where the most advanced feature is being able to propel yourself off of a surface with a rocket?"

No it's the incredibly flexible analogue movement system with a fantastic learning curve.strafe jumping, circle jumping, (CPMA bunying and double jumps) then there's plasma jumping and grenade jumping as you work your way up the weapon chain before you even get to rocket jumping, which frankly is rarely used in real games in comparison when self damage is on.

Oh , and any combination of all of the above.

And don't forget the most finely honed and advanced network code in any realtime online game.

Care to provide any examples of where Quake3 has been surpassed in "basic gameplay?" Care to even define what you mean by this cliched statement in the first place?

Care to define why you cling to a 10 year old game where the most advanced feature is being able to propel yourself off of a surface with a rocket? As if it has anything to do with id making a half-baked remake of Q3 that can't play custom maps or mods btw. Care to address any of that?

While I see the point you're trying to make, you still didn't answer the question.

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts." -- Bertrand Russell (I think...)

Dades speaks for me. I agree with his comments. I also don't see how the market research this quake live venture is predicated on made them believe that rehashing a 10 year old game without the gibs? or mods would be a commercial success. Then again the resources needed to create a matchmaking system and re-releasing the same 10 year old game minus the thing I mentioned above, might be so low that the advertising revenue (even in this advertising scarce economic climate) guaranteed profits.

Maybe it will be a steady source of revenue for them.But I know this: I don't like ads in my games, even if they make the game free. And I certainly don't like rehashes of 10 year old games that take away features like mod making.

I enjoyed Quake 3 for a little bit and I understand that for 1v1 tournament play it's at the top or near the top of the food chain. But come on... it's just quake 3 with online trappings.

Care to provide any examples of where Quake3 has been surpassed in "basic gameplay?" Care to even define what you mean by this cliched statement in the first place?

Care to define why you cling to a 10 year old game where the most advanced feature is being able to propel yourself off of a surface with a rocket? As if it has anything to do with id making a half-baked remake of Q3 that can't play custom maps or mods btw. Care to address any of that?

You guys trash on consoles about shitty ports, id is basically making a shitty port of it's own game to the same platform with less community features and tacking on advertising. Oh geez matchmaking, sorry I forgot it's all worth it now.

Not many people agree with you looking at the Q3 player statistics on Gametiger.

1) Q3 came out almost ten years ago so obviously there aren't as many players now as there used to be.2) 1v1 deathmatch has always had niche appeal. That doesn't mean it is inferior to other modes. It just means it doesn't have mainstream appeal.

So no, I don't think anyone would disagree that Q3 is still the best when it comes to 1v1 deathmatch.

This isn't to say that Quake Live will be a success. In today's gaming climate, I think Quake is just too fast and too hard for most gamers. This says nothing of quality, though.

No, he means it's look like shit and the basic gameplay is surpassed by other games and even mods to it's own engine. The inability to use these enhancements means you will literally be playing something you paid for ten years ago except with token matchmaking/tournament services fueled by advertisements. This is a worthless venture.

Care to provide any examples of where Quake3 has been surpassed in "basic gameplay?" Care to even define what you mean by this cliched statement in the first place?

Or are you using "basic gameplay" to mean "I like other games and think they are better than Quake3." Because the only competitor I can think of recently is UT3, and Q3 has a more active public server base than that today. Or are you going to say something stupid and bring up a game in the vein of Counter-Strike, despite not sharing "basic gameplay" ?

No, he means it's look like shit and the basic gameplay is surpassed by other games and even mods to it's own engine. The inability to use these enhancements means you will literally be playing something you paid for ten years ago except with token matchmaking/tournament services fueled by advertisements. This is a worthless venture.

Quake 3 is so dated now in graphics and gameplay mechanics. I would argue that the gameplay mechanics were already dated when it first came out. It had graphics and it had the quake license familiarity and that's it. I don't see why anyone would want to play the game just because it has all the online trappings. At it's core it's just quake 3.

Thats what they want you to think. But the truth is Quake3 has better graphics than Crysis. It used a quasi-DX11 stealth mode. It also kept the underpants gnomes away.

To somehow take compare these two and to say that TF2 has a "ton" more gameplay variety is being disingenuous at best. In reality, they are pretty close to each other, with not enough difference for most people to make any definitive conclusion of.

Yes, someone who doesn't normally play games, or someone who does play games but is a little slow in the head, might not be able to understand the difference between the two games if you tried to explain them to him. Anyone who's played both for a few hours would understand the difference.

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts." -- Bertrand Russell (I think...)

I don't know what type of advertising id has in mind with this...levels splashed with billboards for Pepsi, a banner ad for the lobby/public areas like Battle.net, or an unskippable ad video you have to watch when you launch the game.

The first ones are the most likely scenario. During the open beta I would often see blacked out areas on the map where I can only assume ads might go. There's also space on the stat boards and things like that.

TF2 has a ton more gameplay variety compared to Quake 3. There is the major difference there

TF2 has a lot of width with character classes, but little depth within each one. Quake has never had classes, but has had a tremendous amount of depth, especially when it comes to CTF and Duel. Game modes, TF2 has a lot of variations on the same base theme, which is based around command points, with the exception of Arena, which is similar to many Quake mods and other games.

To somehow take compare these two and to say that TF2 has a "ton" more gameplay variety is being disingenuous at best. In reality, they are pretty close to each other, with not enough difference for most people to make any definitive conclusion of.

The fact that both TF and Quake have lasted years and years after their release should be enough evidence that they are easily within the same realm.

hehe, I know what you mean and I agree fully, but that was really not my point. What they want is a game played by a lot of people since there income will come from advertising in the game and elsewhere, for that to be successfull you need lots of people playing the game and not some measly 1500 hardcore quake 3 players that played the game for 10 years. Mix that up with some complete noobs and you'll see them flee away after getting slaughtered in the game over and over. I really hope the player skill matching works great or this will fail horribly.

I was going on a side rant related to your frustration comment. It seems like there's this shift in current game design where designers feel like they're punishing or inconveniencing their players if they add challenge and death in a game. They feel they should be "rewarding" the player at all times and put this into their game design which ends up being something you watch rather than play. Anyways.

It does say you can "practice and compete offline with bots" also. The matchmaking system is the only real system for an online game that could ease players into a game even if it could be abused by griefers.

It's basically a meta-version of the Unreal tournament or Quake Arena. You start off with other players your skill level. As you get better at the game, you fight more skilled opponents. Otherwise they could implement a "auto-aim for the first 10 kills" feature or see through walls player icons for new players. Plus, it's the Internet. You are going to meet players of all types and asshat levels. Game Experience May Change Online. Suck it up or GTFO. If they get frustrated and leave, the onus is on them not id.

I don't know what type of advertising id has in mind with this...levels splashed with billboards for Pepsi, a banner ad for the lobby/public areas like Battle.net, or an unskippable ad video you have to watch when you launch the game. Sponsored prizes for contests and tournaments are probably a possibility as well. Id was the one who decided that this will be free, and if it fails that's their problem. I'm just looking forward to a Quake 3 I can play anywhere with a net connection (yes, at work) and global persistent stat tracking.

Different cars still have wheels, doors and the like. Yet, each type appeals to completely different people. Quake 3 may be an fps, but saying it's the same as TF2 is as dumb as saying a Ferrari is the same thing as a Mini.

Comparing TF2 to Quake 3 is dumb. They aren't even trying to do anything close to the same thing.

They are both FPSes on the PC platform that are only played online, and generally involve two teams of human players. How aren't they doing the same thing, especially when you consider TF's lineage, and how many of the weapons are your basic weapons that have existed in every FPS for decades?